Aircraft propelling and controlling means



Sept. 10, 1929. RICE 1,727,561

AIRCRAFT PROPELLINGQAND CONTROLLING MEANS Filed March 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ammwtoz wi/tweoo *gfffiice W N l as, V641.

Sept. 10, 1929. J 1,727,561

AIRCRAFT PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING MEANS Filed March 1. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 anomuo J. T. RICE Sept. 10, 1929.

AIRCRAFT PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING MEANS Filed March 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. T. RICE Sept, 10, 1929.

AIRCRAFT PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING MEANS Filed March 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ooc wog llllll. H

aw Lime as Sept. 10, 1929. J. T. RICE 1,727,561

AIRCRAFT PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING MEANS Filed March 1, 1928 5 Shets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOEL '1. RICE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIRCRAFT PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING MEANS.

Application filed March 1,

The invention relates to aircraft propelling and controlling means of the general type-in which a propeller Whose axis normally extends longitudinally of the craft, is

movable about a pivotal axis to vary the direction in which the force of said propeller is exerted, and the present disclosure of the in vent-ion is directed to means of the above defined type in which the propeller is directly carried by a motor, and both motor and pro peller are turnable about the pivotal axis.

One object of the invention isto provide new and improved means for mounting a mo-- tor-supporting base upon a fixed base in such manner as to readilyipermit turning of said.

motor-supporting base about the desired pivotal axis and to effectively hold the two bases against other relative movements.

. Afurther object is to make unique provi- 2o sion whereby control means for the motor will not be disturbed in any adjustment by turning of the movable base about its pivotal axis.

A still further object is to provide a novel 23 and advantageous relation of pivotally mounted propellers and control means for turningthem about their pivotal axes.

A still further aim is to provide propelling and controlling means for an airor seaplane,

of such nature as to extricate the plane from side slippage, and from nose or tail dives or spins.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fi 1 is a side elevation of a dirigible embodying my invention.

49 Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section substantially on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is aside elevation partly broken away and in section showing an airplane embodying the invention.

Fig. 6 may be considered as a top plan view 5 with parts broken away and in section, show- 1928.. Serial No. 258,262.

ing the construction and relation of parts disclosed in Fig. 5, with the exception that the two lateral motors and associated parts arev disposed more closely to the front of the fuselage than in Fig. 5. v

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a portionof a dirigible airship provided with an underswung gondola at its front endv illustrating my invent-ion for propelling and controlling said airship, said invention being carried by Said gondola. I

In Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 7 designates the main bodyof a dirigible, and '8 and 8' denote front and rear assemblies of parts which may either in themselves constitute complete gondolas, or may form portions thereof. As the construction of both assemblages 88, is the same, only one will be described, and reference may be had more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, showing the various features of construction on a large scale, whereas in Figs. 1 and 2, certain parts are of necessity shown rather diagrammatically.

The numeral 9 denotes a fixed horizontal base which is suspended by appropriate hangers 10 and may Well be provided with a pilots seat 11 and with concentric control wheels 12-12 secured to shafts 13-13 disposed one within the other and mounted in appropriate bearing means 14.

Disposed at the upper side of the fixed base 9, is a motor-supporting base 15 which is horizontally disposed and is provided with a peripheral edge of circular outline and formed with gear teeth 16. This base 15 is rigidly joined to a motor 17 which directly carries a propeller 18 whose axis is disposed longitudinally of the dirigible. Base 15 is mounted for pivotal movement about a. vertical axis, and is held against other movement with respect to the base 9, by the construction described below.

19 denotes a tubular kin-g bolt or pivot which is concentric with the circular eripheral edge of the motor-supporting ase 15 and connects the two bases 9--15, anti-friction bearings 20 being preferably associated with this king bolt or pivot, as shown. Portions 21 of controls for the motor 17, ass either through the tubular pivot or king olt 19, or through some other appropriate part disposed at the pivotal axis of the base 15., so

that turning of this base and the motor 17 about said pivotal axis, will not effect the controls in any adjustments of the latter and will consequently not increase or decrease the speed of the motor. The controls shown, may be considered as Bowden wires or analogous devices.

Spaced apart about the base 15, are a plurality of U-shaped brackets 22 whose arms straddle the peripheral portion of said base 15, and an additional bracket 23, provided with no lower arm, is also employed. The

brackets 22 are provided with outwardly projecting attaching portions 24 secured by bolt and slot connections 2526, to the fixed base 9, and bolts or the like such as 27, are provided to secure the bracket 23 to said fixed base 9. The upper and lower arms of the brackets 22, carry anti-friction rollers or other desired bearings 28 which engage the upper and lower sides of the base 15, and similar rollers or the like 29 are carried by the brackets 23,

. in contact with the upper side of said base 15. Pinions 30 meshing with the gear teeth 16, are mounted between the upper and lower arms of the brackets 22, and another pinion 31 which also meshes withsaid gear teeth,

is mounted on a short vertical shaft 32 rotatably supported partly by the bracket 23 and partly by abearing on the base 9.

The construction so far described mounts held against any movement whatsoever, in-

any other manner, providing a safe construction which is free from excessive vibrations. The shaft 32 is provided with a gear 33 meshing with anot er gear 34 on the shaft 13 and it will be seen that turning of the control wheel 12, will turn said shafts and gears, thus turning the pinions 31 and causing the latter-to turn the base 15 to direct the propeller 18 in any desired direction, so that its propulsive forcesmay'be exerted in the most advantageous manner, according to the direction to be taken by the ship or according to tendencies of wind to drive the ship from its course.

Rigidly joined to the rear portion of the base 9,are two vertical, fixed bases 9 upon which motor-supporting bases 15, also disposed vertically, are mounted in the same manner as the base 15 is mounted upon the base 9. The bases 15' carry two lateral motors 17 having propellers 18 whose axes normally extend longitudinally of the ship. Theselateral motors 17 are provided with suitable side base attachments which are connected to said motor-supporting bases 15' and attain a vertical position of said motors. Pinions 31', corresponding to the pinion 31,

mesh with the peripheral gear teeth of the movable bases 15 and are secured upon a suitably'mounted transverse shaft 35. By appropriate gearing 36 this shaft is'operatively connected with a longitudinal shaft 37 whose front end is provided with a gear 38 meshing with another gear 39 .on the shaft 13. This shaft is provided with the hand wheel 12' and it will thus be seen that by turning this wheel, the various gears and shafts will be operated to simultaneously turn the bases 15 about their pivotal axes. Thus, the motors 17 and the propellers 18' may be so adjusted as to cause the latter to exert their propulsive forces in'any desired direction, that is forwardly, rearwardly, upwardly, downwardly or in intermediate directions.

In Figs. 5 and 6, an airplane 40 is shown to illustrate an advantageous relation of parts thereon, but it is to be understood that such relation is also adaptable toseaplanes. 9 in these views denotes a fixed horizontal base, 15*. has reference to a supporting base for a motor 17 provided with a front propeller 18 and 22' may beconsidered as portions of pivotal mounting means for the base 15, similar to or identical with the mounting means disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4. 15 denotes movable bases carrying two lateral motors 17 having propellers 18 spaced laterally from and behind the propeller 18. In the same manner as above described, the bases 15' are pivotally mounted on fixed vertical bases 9*. By shaft-ing, gearing, etc., the base 15 is operatively connected with a control wheel 12' and by similar connections, the bases 15 are connected with a control wheel 12. By turning the wheel 12*, propeller 18 is turned horizontally in one direction or the other as occasion may demand and will serve to effectively counteract side slippage of the plane. By turning wheel 12", the propellers 18* may be swung as desired about the pivotal axes of the-bases 15", to not only assist in effecting vertical movement of the plane, but to expeditiously extricate said plane from either a nose or tail dive or spin.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have herein disclosed certain specific provision for attaining the objects of the invention, but it will be understood that the present disclosure is principally for illustrative purposes and that within the scope of the invent-ion as claimed, numerous variations may be made.

I claim:

- 1. In an aircraft driving and controlling means, a fixed base, a movable motor-carrying base having a circular edge provided with gear teeth, a central pivot connecting the movable base with the fixed base, a plurality of pinions rotatably mounted on said fixed base and meshin with said gear teeth to assist said pivot in receiving lateral strain, means carried by said fixed base and engaging the side of the movable base remote therefrom to revent movement of said .movable base bodily away from said fixed base, and means for rotating at least one of said pinions to turn said movable base about its pivotal axls.

2. In an aircraft driving and controlling means, a fixed base, a movable motor-carrying base having a circular edge provided with gear teeth, a plurality of pln ons rotatably mounted on said fixed base and meshing with said gear teeth, means carried by said fixed base and engagin the side of the movable base remote therefrom to prevent movement of said movable bodily away from said fixed base, and means for rotating at least one of said pinions to turn said movable base about its plvotal axis.

3. In an aircraft propelling and controlling means, a fixed base, a movable motor supporting base at one side of said fixed base provided with a gear-toothed peripheral edge of circular outline, U-shaped brackets secured to the fixed base at the periphery of the movable base and having arms straddling the peripheral portion of said movable base, bearing means carried by said arms and engaging opposite sides of said movable base, pinions rotatably mounted between said arms and meshing with the gear teeth of said movable base, and means meshing with said gear teeth for turning said movable base about an axis concentric with said circular edge thereof. 4. In an aircraft propelli and controlling means, a motorsupportmg base turnable about a pivotal axis, means for turning said base about said axis, speed control means for the motor on said base, and means receiving and holdin a portion of said speed con-- trol means at tfie pivotal axis of said base to prevent disturbing of any adjustment of said portion by turning of said base.

5. In an-aircraft propelling and driving means, a fixed base, a motor-supporting base, means mounting said motor-su porting base on said fixed base and embodying a tubular pivot about which said movable base may be turned, means for turning said motor supporting base about said tubular pivot, and speed control means for the motor on said base, embodying a portion passing through said tubular pivot, whereby any adjustment of said portion will remain undisturbed by turning of said base about said pivot.

6. In an aircraft, a front and two lateral motors all having propellers, means mounting said front motor on a vertical pivotal axis, means mounting said lateral motors on horizontal transverse pivotal axes, two axially alined control wheels disposed in close proximity to each otherilmeans permanently connecting one of said w eels with the mounting means of said front motor for performing the sole duty of turning the latter about its vertical pivotal axis, and means permanently connecting the other of said wheels with the mounting means of both of the lateral motors for performing the sole duty of simultaneously turning them about their pivotal axes.

7. In an aircraft, a horizontal fixed base, two vertical fixed bases spaced laterally and longitudinally from said horizontal .base, a horizontal and two vertical bases pivotally mounted on said fixed bases on a vertical and two horizontal axes respectively, individual motors secured to said pivotally mounted bases respectively, means for turning the horizontal pivoted base independently of the vertical pivoted bases, and means for simultaneously turning said vertical pivoted bases independently of said horizontal pivoted base. 8. In an aircraft, a horizontal fixed base, two vertical fixed bases spaced laterally and longitudinally from said horizontal base, a horizontal and two vertical bases pivotally mounted on said fixed bases on a vertical and two horizontal axes respectively, individual motors secured to said pivotally mounted bases respectively, two control wheels mounted co-axially on said horizontal fixed base, means operatively connecting one of said wheels permanently with said horizontal pivoted base, and means permanently connecting the otherof said wheels operatively with said vertical pivoted bases.

9. In an aircraft, a horizontal motor-supporting" base, two vertical motor-supporting ases spaced laterally and somewhat to the rear from said horizontal base, the three bases being rigidly mounted, a front vertical-cylinder propeller equipped motor directly over and having its bottom portion provided with a rigidly attached base connected with said horizontal base to permit turning of the motor about a vertical axis, two lateral verticalcylinder propeller-equipped motors spaced outwardly from said vertical bases and having their inner sides provided with rigidly attached bases connected with said vertical bases to permit swinging of these motors about horizontal transverse axes, and means whereby said motors may be swung about their pivotal axes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JOEL T. RICE. 

